Couples and marriage counseling can be helpful for figuring out communication issues, premarital counseling, and more. Check out our picks for the best online marriage and couples counseling.
- Best overall: Regain | Skip to Review
- Best for soon-to-be-married couples: Growing Self | Skip to Review
- Best for round-the-clock support: Talkspace | Skip to Review
- Best if you’re unsure about therapy: OurRelationship | Skip to Review
If you’re considering marriage or couples counseling, you might feel hesitant, unsure of what to expect, or a little self-conscious about the issues leading you to explore therapy.
Seeking professional support doesn’t mean you’ve failed at your marriage or partnership. It means you care enough about your partner to make the effort a thriving union requires. Think of counseling as a tool that helps you find and shore up any cracks in your partnership before they spread.
With online services, you can take the first steps toward strengthening your partnership — on your schedule, from the comfort and security of your own home.
Read on to find our top picks for the best online marriage counseling.
| Price | Insurance coverage | Therapy format | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regain | $65 to $95 weekly | none | • message • phone • video |
| Growing Self | • $135 per session with advanced licensed therapist • sliding scale available | none | • video |
| Talkspace | • $436 monthly • $1,188 quarterly | yes | • video • messaging |
| OurRelationship | One-time fees: • $79 individuals program • $99 couples program without coaching • $249 couples with coaching | none | • online lessons • phone • video • chat |
Wondering about the difference between marriage or couples counseling and couples or relationship therapy?
While they’re pretty similar, counseling tends to prioritize problems and areas of conflict affecting daily married life, from division of household responsibilities to infidelity recovery to intimacy issues.
On the other hand, therapy tends to look more at the past to help you determine what may cause ongoing issues.
To create our list of the best online marriage and couples counseling services, we looked for services with:
- established websites
- availability across the United States rather than only one or two states
- a privacy policy explaining how the service protects your confidentiality and secures information
- detailed information on therapists’ minimum qualification requirements
- positive user reviews
Plus, Psych Central vets all brands and products we review. If you’re interested in learning more, you can read about our editorial process and product selection.
Is there any online marriage counseling that takes insurance?
Yes, one of our top picks — Talkspace — offers online marriage counseling and takes insurance.
You’ll notice most online couples counseling services don’t accept insurance, but that’s fairly standard. Insurance typically won’t cover relationship counseling unless it’s a recommended treatment for a diagnosed mental health concern.
If you didn’t find what you were hoping to see in this article, here are some tips on finding an online marriage or couples counseling service that works for you:
- Payment. Before choosing a relationship therapist, consider your price range and the various payment options online services offer. Would you rather pay for individual appointments or through a weekly or monthly subscription plan?
- Counselor credentials. Does the therapist have relational training and if so, what types of training have they completed? How much experience would you like your therapist to have? Do you want to work with a Ph.D., or is a therapist with a master’s degree just fine? Are you open to working with a relationship coach? (Keep in mind that coaching isn’t usually regulated, and there’s no licensing board to monitor issues regarding ethics, harm, or abuse that may occur.)
- Medium. How do you want to communicate with your therapist? Do you prefer live video sessions, phone conversations, or texting?
- Privacy. Be sure you pick a licensed therapist who offers HIPAA-compliant services that guard your privacy and security online.
- Accessibility. How often do you want to speak with your therapist? Several times a week? Once a month? Do you want a therapist you can text anytime you’d like?
- Time. How much time do you need to dedicate to counseling? Would you rather have a 45-minute session once per week? Or 15-minute conversations twice a month?
You don’t need to be married. Anyone in a long-term partnership can benefit from therapy together.
Counseling may help in many situations, such as:
- You consistently experience difficulties with clear, effective communication.
- You have trouble relating but still love each other and want to stay married or committed to each other.
- One or both of you have cheated or had an affair.
- You disagree on parenting approaches.
- A lack of physical or emotional intimacy has created distance.
You’re all set to show up and do the work, but your partner seems less interested. What next?
Couples counseling generally works best when you both participate. That said, you can still do it alone. An experienced online relationship counselor can offer guidance on skills and strategies for communicating with your partner more effectively.
According to the American Psychological Association, couples counseling is generally short-term, focused on making adjustments to manage current situations. Couples therapy goes deeper and extends over a longer term.
Couples counseling tends to focus mostly on current issues. This can make it an effective tool when you know you don’t want to end your partnership.
Couples counseling may not succeed when one partner:
- is unwilling to commit from start to finish
- wants to keep secrets or continue an affair
- has difficulties with honest communication
- wants out of the relationship
Couples counseling isn’t recommended when your relationship involves abuse. Abuse is a matter of power and control, not a relationship issue. If you’re experiencing abuse, individual therapy can offer space to get guidance on potential next steps and create a safety plan.
According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, relationship counseling can benefit your marriage and overall well-being. Online marriage counseling can offer lower costs and easier scheduling than in-person visits.
According to a 2020 study involving 15 couples receiving online counseling, a majority found it easy to connect with their counselor and had an overall positive and beneficial experience. Some even said the distance offered by the online format helped them feel more in control.
To maximize your success with online counseling, you can look for a therapist who:
- feels like a good fit for you and your partner
- has training in a recognized relationship counseling approach, such as emotionally focused therapy or the Gottman method
Marriage counseling can sometimes be challenging, but there are also many techniques for overcoming obstacles in marriage counseling that you can study to prepare yourself.
In need of a culturally competent counselor? Consider searching for a therapist who offers online sessions through:
- African American Therapists Directory
- Asians for Mental Health
- Therapy for Latinx
- National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
Looking for a counselor who specializes in open or non-monogamous relationships or marriages? Try searching online therapist directories or the Polyamory-Friendly Professionals Directory for therapists who offer teletherapy options.
Although none of our chosen providers offer couples counseling for free online, many offer affordable therapy, especially when compared to the cost of in-person services. Also, Growing Self and Ritual both offer free initial consultations, and OurRelationship offers a free sample lesson.
Additionally, Growing Self offers a low-income sliding scale, and Regain offers financial aid to those who qualify.
Online marriage or couples counseling can help improve your relationship, whether you’ve been married for 2 weeks or together for 10 years. It doesn’t need to be a last resort, either. It can help you and your partner find solutions early on.
Counseling won’t help you resolve every incompatibility, like different desires for children or the ideal location to live. Still, it can bring these concerns into the open so you can determine the best path forward.